Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Monday

LINKS!

Seahawks Notebook: Russell Wilson looks sharp; Terrell Owens struggles - CBSSports.com
Flynn put up pedestrian numbers -- he finished the game 6 of 13 for 31 yards -- but it's tough to judge him on that because 5 of his 7 incompletions were passes that were targeted for Terrell Owens, who was playing his first game in a Seahawk uniform. Owens and Flynn were never on the same page; Owens' struggles included a pass that went through his hands that would have been a 46-yard touchdown. "It was unfortunate," coach Pete Carroll said of the drop. "He's got to get back in action and that was his first time out there."

Three things we learned: Seahawks 30, Broncos 10 | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
Exhibition games aren't tests. More like progress reports, as it's not the results that matter nearly so much as the team's readiness for when the regular season begins. With that in mind, here are some observations from Saturday's game:

Three things we don't know: Seahawks 30, Broncos 10 | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
1) How worried we should be about Seattle's starting offense? The team ranked No. 28 in total yardage last season, and so far in two exhibition games, Seattle's first-string defense has scored more touchdowns than Seattle's starting offense. Well, make that one more touchdown, singular, as Brandon Browner returned an interception to the end zone against Tennessee and Seattle's starting offense has yet to reach the end zone. Now, deep breath everyone. The Seahawks aren't quite at full strength. Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin have yet to appear in an exhibition game, and tight ends Zach Miller and Kellen Winslow have not been on the field at the same time. Still, that offense has a ways to go before it's considered regular-season ready.

Manning's home debut so-so in loss to Seattle | wthitv.com
The answer came with 1:25 left in the first half when Irvin beat right tackle Orlando Franklin and had a clean shot at the quarterback. "I came into the game trying to be the first one to get a shot on him since he's been back and I guess I succeeded," Irvin said. "He's a great quarterback, got the ball out quick and it's hard to get to him. I just put on a good move and just so happened to get through."

August 18, 2012 Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos - Recap - - YouTube
Peyton Manning drew his biggest ovation on an incompletion. Blasted by defensive end Bruce Irvin, the four-time MVP who missed all of last season with a neck injury that required four operations bounced right back up, shook it off and threw a 22-yard bullet to Brandon Stokley on the next play.

Terrell Owens Having Trouble Deciding Which Seahawks Quarterback To Undermine | The Onion
SEATTLE—Seahawks wide receiver Terrell Owens announced Friday that he was still struggling to decide which of the team's three quarterbacks to undermine this season, claiming that Matt Flynn, Russell Wilson, and Tarvaris Jackson were all potential c...

Russell Wilson has earned a chance to start vs Kansas City " Seahawks Draft Blog
Pete Carroll says this is an open competition at quarterback. Time to prove it by starting Russell Wilson against Kansas City next weekend. Wilson may well be competing against second stringers in pre-season so far, but he’s gone beyond what we could reasonably expect from his two performances against the Titans and Broncos. Against Denver he lit up the second half, leading sustained scoring drives equating to three touchdowns. He’s earned his chance to show what he can do when guys like Von Miller and Champ Bailey are on the field.

Numbers games: Seahawks roster at glance - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A look at where the Seattle Seahawks stand before the NFL requires teams to reduce from 90-man roster limits to 75 players (Aug. 27) and 53 players (Aug. 31).

Sky threatening, if not falling, in Arizona - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Arizona Cardinals were so much better on several fronts during their 31-27 exhibition victory over Oakland on Friday night. The game could wind up being a disaster for them anyway. Left tackle and especially quarterback are two of the most important positions on an NFL roster. Bad things happened for the Cardinals at both of those positions. Let's consider the potential ramifications:

Seahawks.com Blog | Game at a glance: Another dominate defensive effort "
"I thought the defense played really well in the first half," coach Pete Carroll said. "We really were getting after the football. And in the second, our guys didn’t give up anything but one first down and really were able to keep them down in great fashion."

Wilson shines in Seahawks' 30-10 win at Denver | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
"I didn’t think Peyton Manning was spectacular like everybody thought," said Seattle safety Earl Thomas, who played against Manning for the first time. "I thought he was normal. And we just had a good outing. They got us on a couple of things, but overall I think we played great."

Thiel: Wilson earns right to fail with No. 1 unit | Seattle Seahawks
Rookie QB Russell Wilson has shown enough in two halves to merit a start Friday when the Seahawks play in Kansas City. He needs to succeed or fail with the starters once.

Was Russell Wilson Ever Really A Part Of The Seattle Seahawks 3-Way QB Competition - 12th Man Rising - A Seattle Seahawks Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
Before I start, I have to preface this with the fact that it is my opinion. I can’t get anyone with the Seahawks to comment on the record, though at the same time no one dissuaded me from writing this when I made my inquiries. So take this for what it’s worth. It’s my opinion, and I’m not presenting this as fact.

Brandon Jacobs' MRI reveals 'no major damage' to left knee - NFL.com
The San Francisco 49ers can breathe a sigh of relief after an MRI has revealed running back Brandon Jacobs suffered "no major damage" to his left knee, according to a source with knowledge of his condition.

Nine really random things and whatever else is going on around the NFL… - NFL.com
9. Peyton Manning’s numbers were, for the most part, good last night. He was 16 of 23 for 177 yards, and when he got in a two-minute drill, he cruised. At times, as Around the League mentioned, he looked like the old Manning. He was even barking at Broncos WRs who screwed up. Ah, just like old times. But it was those two interceptions that caught my eye and made me think it’ll be a little while until he’s completely back. On his first pick, Manning’s dunk at the line was tipped and picked by K.J. Wright of the Seahawks. On his second pick, former undrafted free agent Jeron Johnson of the Seahawks caught a badly overthrown deep ball.

That second INT actually came a play after Manning had tried to go deep and was off the mark. What does all of this mean? Lots to like about Manning’s second game … but some definite causes for concern. He still has not thrown the deep ball with accuracy or precision and that takes time. While focusing on short, timing routes, he has had the ball tipped at least three times. When people ask why I think the Chiefs will win that decision, this is one reason. I think the Broncos will be great come playoff time. But I’ll be very surprised if Denver comes out of the gate like that. That’s why I think Kansas City will be the steadier division winner, albeit maybe not the better team come playoff time

Cover 1 vs. Johnson in the red zone? No thanks... | National Football Post
Talking Xs and Os, scheme vs. the Lions' WR.

Too Big to Fail? | National Football Post
Once promising, Aaron Curry is poised to become the latest punch line.

Peyton Manning shows the work still to be done in home opener | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
"Every interception has its own story, [and] nobody really wants to hear it at the end of the day," Manning said after the game. "A quarterback signs the check on every ball that he throws. There's an old saying that the most important part of every play is to possess the ball at the end of that play. That's the quarterback's job. I have to do a better job of that. Two interceptions tonight—two in the red zone two weeks in a row … just can't have it. Tipped balls … whatever it is … just can't have it. I've got to find a way to protect the ball better and ensure we get some kind of points when we're down there in the red zone."

Tommy Kelly on Kevin Kolb: ‘That boy’s scared;’ Kolb says toughness shouldn’t be questioned | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
"Scared? Scared of what?" Kolb told Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official website in response. "Taking a hit? I have never been afraid of anyone on the field and that will never change. That includes Number 93 [Kelly]. There's a fine line between holding in the pocket and trying to escape to make a play. Tommy Kelly is too clueless to know the difference. I don't mind people criticizing my play. Don't ever question my toughness."

49ers vs. Texans: Live Preseason Week 2 Report Card for San Francisco | Bleacher Report
Follow the slides to track the Houston Texans' 20-9 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The second week of preseason didn't quite go as well as the first for the 49ers, but nonetheless, not all was bad, and certain units managed to keep up their high level of play.

Arizona Cardinals' decision to not draft OT early could prove costly - Mocking The Draft
Obviously it's easy to second guess a draft after the fact. But going into this year's draft, many thought the Cardinals should target an offensive tackle early. Due to the Kevin Kolb trade, Arizona was without a second-round pick this year. That meant if they wanted a good tackle, the first round would have been the place for one.

Lists, Fits, and Intrigue | Draft Breakdown
Every year, so much emphasis is placed on pre-draft lists. From big boards to positional rankings, it’s something everyone does, and it’s something everyone wants to see. Before I go any further, let me just say that I’m not making a case against this exercise. First and foremost, it’s a fun thing to do. Secondly, I don’t think it’s a frivolous pursuit at all. If your objective is to make the rankings as accurate as possible, it forces you to do the proper amount of film study.